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Concrete Works Risk Assessment

Concrete Works Risk Assessment

  • • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
  • • Pre-filled Content – Ready to Deploy Immediately
  • • Customisable – Easily Add Your Logo & Site Details
  • • Includes 2 Years of Free Compliance Updates

Concrete Works Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Concrete Works Risk Assessment through a structured, management-level review of planning, governance, plant, and site-wide controls. This document supports executive Due Diligence, strengthens WHS Risk Management systems, and helps demonstrate compliance with the WHS Act while reducing operational and legal exposure.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • WHS Governance, Duties and Consultation: Assessment of officer due diligence, PCBU obligations, consultation arrangements with workers and contractors, and clarity of roles and responsibilities for concrete works.
  • Design, Engineering and Temporary Works Management: Management of formwork and falsework design, structural adequacy, engineering sign-off, temporary works stability, and design change control processes.
  • Procurement and Contract Management: Assessment of supplier and subcontractor prequalification, contractual WHS requirements, scope definition, and verification of safety documentation prior to award.
  • Planning, Scheduling and Pour Management: Protocols for staging works, pour sequencing, access and egress planning, interface risks with other trades, and contingency planning for weather and delays.
  • Competency, Training and Supervision: Management of competency requirements for concreters, pump operators and spotters, induction programs, toolbox talks, and supervision levels for high-risk activities.
  • Plant, Equipment and Maintenance Systems: Assessment of concrete pumps, agitator trucks, vibrators and associated plant selection, inspection, maintenance scheduling, pre-start checks, and isolation procedures.
  • Traffic, Delivery and Site Access Management: Management of heavy vehicle movements, delivery scheduling, load/unload zones, pedestrian interfaces, traffic control plans, and delivery driver induction.
  • Safe Work Method Statements and Procedural Controls: Systems for SWMS development, review and approval, integration of procedures with site rules, and verification that high-risk concrete works are controlled at the task level.
  • Health Risks, Hazardous Substances and Ergonomics: Assessment of exposure to cement dust and silica, skin and respiratory hazards, manual handling of formwork and reinforcement, and ergonomic design of work methods.
  • Environmental and Site Condition Management: Management of ground conditions, weather impacts, noise and vibration, waste and washout controls, and protection of surrounding structures and services.
  • Emergency Preparedness and Incident Management: Protocols for concrete pump failures, line blockages, structural instability, worker injury, spill response, and communication of emergency procedures.
  • Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement: Systems for inspections, audits, corrective actions, performance reporting, and periodic review of concrete works risk controls and procedures.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Construction Managers, Project Managers and Safety Leaders responsible for planning, overseeing and governing concrete works activities across projects and sites.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. WHS Governance, Duties and Consultation
  • • Lack of clear allocation of WHS duties and due diligence obligations for concrete works under WHS Act 2011
  • • Inadequate consultation, cooperation and coordination between PCBUs (principal contractor, concrete contractor, pump supplier, delivery companies)
  • • Insufficient worker participation in WHS decision‑making, leading to unreported issues in concrete work systems
  • • Failure to integrate concrete works risks into the overall project WHS management plan
  • • Inadequate monitoring, review and continuous improvement of the WHS management system for concrete activities
2. Design, Engineering and Temporary Works Management
  • • Inadequate structural design or verification of formwork, falsework and temporary supports leading to collapse during concrete placement
  • • Lack of integration between permanent works design and temporary works design, creating unforeseen load paths and instability
  • • Insufficient engineering consideration of construction loads, pour sequences, concrete pressure, vibration and environmental factors (e.g. wind, rain, heat)
  • • Inadequate engineering review of changes made on site to formwork, propping or reinforcement details
  • • Poor documentation control leading to use of superseded drawings or unapproved design changes for concrete works
3. Procurement and Contract Management
  • • Engagement of concrete contractors, pump operators and suppliers without adequate WHS capability or licensing
  • • Procurement decisions driven solely by cost and schedule, leading to under‑resourced supervision and poor safety systems
  • • Contracts that fail to allocate WHS responsibilities clearly between principal contractor, subcontractors and suppliers
  • • Use of unsuitable concrete mixes, additives or formwork systems due to lack of technical and safety criteria in purchasing processes
  • • Inadequate vetting of plant hire providers (e.g. concrete pumps, placing booms, hoists) regarding maintenance, inspection and operator training systems
4. Planning, Scheduling and Pour Management
  • • Poor planning of concrete pour sequences creating excessive time pressure, congestion and concurrent high‑risk activities
  • • Inadequate assessment of site conditions (e.g. access, ground bearing capacity, edge protection) prior to scheduling major concrete pours
  • • Lack of structured planning for high‑risk concrete activities such as night pours, large deck pours, post‑tensioned elements or pours near live services
  • • Insufficient consideration of weather and environmental conditions affecting concrete works, including extreme heat, rain and wind
  • • Failure to coordinate concrete deliveries, pump availability and workforce capacity, leading to ad hoc decision‑making and unsafe shortcuts
5. Competency, Training and Supervision
  • • Inadequate competency of supervisors and workers involved in concrete works, formwork, reinforcement fixing and pumping operations
  • • Lack of training on site‑specific procedures, SWMS and emergency responses for concrete incidents (e.g. line blockage, formwork movement, chemical exposure)
  • • Insufficient supervision during critical stages such as formwork inspections, initial pours, pump setup and finishing works
  • • Inconsistent understanding of roles and authority to stop work when unsafe conditions arise during concrete activities
  • • Failure to maintain current evidence of licences, high risk work permits and verification of competency for concrete‑related tasks
6. Plant, Equipment and Maintenance Systems
  • • Use of poorly maintained or unsuitable concrete pumps, placing booms, vibrators and mixers leading to mechanical failure or uncontrolled movement
  • • Lack of systematic inspection and testing for critical lifting and pumping equipment used in concrete works
  • • Inadequate control of modifications or repairs to plant, potentially compromising structural integrity or safety systems
  • • Insufficient management of plant guarding, emergency stop systems and pressure relief devices on pumping equipment
  • • Poor record‑keeping for maintenance, inspections, defect rectification and out‑of‑service tagging for concrete‑related plant
7. Traffic, Delivery and Site Access Management
  • • Uncontrolled interaction between concrete trucks, pumps, workers and public traffic at site entries and pour locations
  • • Inadequate traffic management planning for concrete deliveries, leading to congestion, reversing and queuing on public roads
  • • Insufficient assessment of ground conditions and bearing capacity where concrete trucks and pumps are positioned
  • • Lack of access controls leading to unauthorised persons entering concrete work zones during pours
  • • Poor communication between delivery drivers, pump operators and site supervision regarding access constraints and changes
8. Safe Work Method Statements and Procedural Controls
  • • SWMS for concrete works that are generic, incomplete or not aligned with actual site conditions and methods
  • • Lack of management review and authorisation of SWMS covering high risk construction work related to concrete (e.g. work at height, near traffic, near services)
  • • Failure to communicate SWMS requirements to workers and subcontractors, resulting in inconsistent understanding and implementation
  • • Inadequate monitoring of SWMS compliance during concrete activities, leading to gradual erosion of safe systems of work
  • • No formal process for updating SWMS when work methods, plant or site conditions change
9. Health Risks, Hazardous Substances and Ergonomics
  • • Exposure to hazardous substances associated with concrete works (e.g. cement dust, crystalline silica, admixtures, curing compounds)
  • • Lack of systems to manage skin contact, eye exposure and inhalation risks from wet concrete and related chemicals
  • • Inadequate management of noise and vibration exposure from concrete pumps, vibrators and cutting equipment
  • • Poor ergonomic design of work methods leading to repetitive strain injuries and manual handling risks during concrete placement and finishing
  • • Insufficient health monitoring and surveillance for workers regularly exposed to concrete‑related health hazards
10. Environmental and Site Condition Management
  • • Uncontrolled runoff of concrete slurry and washout water causing slips, environmental harm and regulatory breaches
  • • Unstable or poorly prepared work platforms and access ways for concrete works, including temporary ramps and decks
  • • Inadequate lighting for early morning, night or enclosed area pours leading to misjudgement of hazards
  • • Adverse weather (heat, rain, wind, storms) not effectively managed in relation to concrete placement, curing and worker safety
  • • Poor housekeeping around concrete work zones, including trip hazards, debris and unmarked edges
11. Emergency Preparedness and Incident Management
  • • Lack of specific emergency response procedures for concrete‑related incidents (e.g. formwork collapse, pump line burst, concrete engulfment)
  • • Inadequate planning for access and egress of emergency services during major concrete pours
  • • Insufficient first aid resources and training related to chemical burns, eye contamination and crush injuries associated with concrete works
  • • Failure to capture, investigate and learn from concrete‑related incidents and near misses across the project or organisation
  • • Poor communication systems for raising alarms and coordinating responses during noisy and congested concrete operations
12. Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
  • • Failure to systematically monitor the effectiveness of WHS controls for concrete works over the life of the project
  • • Inadequate data collection on leading indicators such as inspections, non‑conformances and training gaps related to concrete activities
  • • Lack of senior management visibility of concrete‑related risks and performance trends
  • • No structured process to capture lessons learned from previous projects or stages and apply them to future concrete works
  • • Complacency developing over time as routine concrete activities are perceived as low risk

Need to add specific hazards for your workplace?

Don't worry if a specific hazard isn't listed above. Once you purchase, simply log in to your Client Portal and add your own custom hazards at no extra cost. We take care of the hard work—creating the risk ratings and control measures for free—to ensure your document is compliant within minutes.

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
  • Code of Practice: Construction Work: Guidance on managing WHS risks in construction, including concrete and formwork activities.
  • Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Framework for identifying hazards, assessing and controlling risks, and maintaining risk management records.
  • Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces: Requirements for preventing falls during formwork, reinforcement fixing and elevated concrete pours.
  • Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks: Guidance on managing musculoskeletal risks associated with handling formwork, reinforcement and concrete tools.
  • Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work: Controls for noise from concrete pumps, cutting, vibrating and associated plant.
  • Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace: Requirements for storage, handling and use of cement, admixtures and other hazardous substances.
  • AS 3610: Formwork for concrete – Requirements for design, construction and stripping of formwork systems.
  • AS 2550 series: Cranes, hoists and winches – Safe use, relevant where lifting concrete elements and formwork.
  • AS/NZS 4801 / ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems – Principles for systematic WHS governance and continuous improvement.
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Comprehensive hazard identification for all activities
  • Risk rating matrix with likelihood and consequence analysis
  • Existing control measures evaluation
  • Residual risk assessment after controls
  • Hierarchy of controls recommendations
  • Action priority rankings
  • Review and monitoring requirements
  • Consultation and communication records
  • Legal compliance references
  • Sign-off and approval sections

$79.5

Safe Work Australia Aligned